Electric cut-out



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. G. PERKINS.

ELECTRIC GUT-OUT.

NO 385,067. Patented June 26, 1888.

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C. G. PERKINS.

ELECTRIC GUT-OUT.

180.885,06?. Patented June 26, 1888` y .l um um mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G, PERKINS, OF HARTFORD, COINOTIOUT.

ELECTRIC CU'T'HOUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part or' Letters Patent Nc. 385,067, dated Ezine 26, 1888.

Application tiled August If, ISST.

T0 @ZZ whom it may conceive:

Be it known that l, OHARLEs G. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing` at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Out-Outs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

y invention relates to electric cutouts, and it has reference more particularly to that class of cnt-outs wherein is used a strip of fusible material which melts and breaks the current whenever the line becomes charged abnormally high.

The object of the invention is to provide a cut-out block of the class described in which the fusible strip and its mounting attachments may be readily inserted in their proper position in the block, and after the strip has been destroyed the parts may be easily removed for the adjustment of a new strip.

rIhe invention consists in a blocl; provided with suitable devices for attaching and sustaining the main and branch wires, in combi nation with a removable plug carrying a fusible strip.

The invention also consists in other details, which will be fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures l and 2 represent, respectively, top and bottom plans of my improved eut-out block; Fig. 3, an end elevation of same; Fig. Il, a vertical section on line .e of Fig. l; Figs. 5 and G, vertical and horizontal sections, respectively, of the removable plug; Fig. 7, a view of the fusible strip; Figs. 8 and 9, plans of modified forms of my invention; Figs. l0 and l1, seetions taken on line y y of Figs. 8 and 9; Figs. 12 and 13, the same section', showing the position of parts during one stage oi' adj ustment; Figs. i4: and l5, vertical and horizontal scctions of the plug used in the arrangement shown in Figs. 9, ll, and 13.

Referring to Sheet l of the drawings, A represents a block of any suitable insulating material provided on its under side with grooves a a, in which the main wires B B lie. The wires are held in place by means of the clamping-hooks C. These hooks consist of a Serial No. 43,0l8. (No model.)

hooked bolt threaded at the upper ends and provided with a cross-head or handle. To adjust the wire in position, the cross-head is unserewed and the bolt dropped and turned. The wire is then placed in the groove, the bool; turned back, and its cross-head screwed down to tighten it. I do not claim these hooks as a part of this invention, because they are already patented to ine. The hooks pass through slotsin the end oi bent metallic springs D, which are secured to the bottoni of the block, the bloei; being out away laterally to accommodate them, as shown. rlhe spring is held in place by a screw, d, and the wire B is clamped in contact with the spring by the said hook C. rllie free end of the spring is perfoA rated, for a purpose hereinafter described. The block is provided with a cylindrical chainber, in which loosely fits plug, G. This plug is shown in detail in Figs. 5 and (3. One side is lattened to accommodate a fusible strip, g. The plug is ot' insulating material, and at the lower end is provided with a nipple or lug, g', which is adapted to pass through the perforation in the spring above mentioned. rIhe upper end of the plug is bored centrally and threaded to receive an adjustable screw-bolt, g3. This bolt carries a crosshead and a inetallic collar, The fusible strip has formed upon it at each end a lateral extension, the lower one being a perforated disk and the up per a slotted. disk. The strip is adjusted in the plug by inserting the nipple g into the perforation ol' the lower disk, and the upper disk is then pushed under the collar g* and around the bolt.` Ilflien the plug is in posi tion, it rests upon the free end of spring D and makes contact between said spring and the fusible strip.

The branch wires Il. H are secured to the block by clamps I I. To these clamps are swiveled circuit closers .l J. The circuitcloser .I is of general semicircular shape and provided with a handle, y'. It is also provided with a slot,j, and the lips on each side of said slot are curved slightly upward. The closer .I is for the purpose of making electricalA connection between post I and plug G. When the plate is swung around, the slotted portion slides across the top of collar g' and makes contact therewith. Bolt g3 is adjustable vertically in order that the plug may be made to vcontact therewith.

press upon spring D with any required force when the circuit-closer slides upon the collar gt. The circuit`closer J acts in the same manner as J, the only difference being in its shape.

Figs. 8, 10, and 12 illustrate a modification of my invention. The circuit-closer in this instance is stationary. The chamber carrying the plug has an inclined side. To insert the plug, it is slid down the incline until the nipple at the lower end passes into the perforation in the spring. It is then tilted up and pushed under the lips of the circuit-closer until it snaps into position. It is held in place by two lugs on the under side ofthe lips.

Figs. 9, 11, 13, 14, and 15 illustrate still another modification. In this instance the circuit-closer is movable, as in the first form described; but the spring D is replaced by a rigid bar, D', which acts in the nature of a bolt to hold the line-wire in place and make The nipple at the base of the plug slides in a groove, m, and screw m passes through a slot, m2. The adj ustingbolt m3 is secured to the bar and passes up th rough a slot in the block. It has a head and washer, by means of which the bar may be moved back and forth.

In order to get the spring-contact at the ends of the plug, in this case the plug is constructed as shown in Figs. 11 and 15. It is formed of two parts, o and p, telescoped together. The parts are adapted to slide on each other, the limit of movement being determined by bolt p. Springp2 tends to force them apart, and pin 113 prevents the parts turning on each other.

When the plug is out of the block, it is eX- tended; but when in place it is more orless contracted and exerts its force to keep the end ofthe fusible strip in contact with bar D'.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of a plug carrying a safety-strip and a block for electrical eut-out provided with a chamber having a lateral enlargement, whereby t-he plug may be readily inserted to close and removed to break the circuit, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the main wire, of bolt G, springs D, plug G, carrying the fusible strip g, circuitcloser J, and branch line H, all arranged as described.

3. In a-cut-out7 a plug of insulating material carrying a fusible strip, said plug formed of two parts telescoped together and having a spring between the parts, which tends to force them away from each other in order to maintain good Contact at the ends of the plug, as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES G. PERKINS. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. WALKER, HENRY L. RICKARD. 

